Automatic feeder for lubricating materials



(No Model.)

B. an G. H. WATERS.

AUTOMATIC FEEDER FOR LUBRIGATING MATERIALS, &o. No. 538,471.

Patented Apr. 30, 1895.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN WATERS AND GEORGE H. VATERS, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW J ERSEY.`

AUTOMATIC FEEDER FOR LUBRICATINGIVIATERIALS, SLC.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 538,471, dated April 30, 1 895. Application iled October 22, 1894. Serial No. 526 1594:. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, BENJAMIN WATERS and GEORGE H. WATERS, citizens .of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Automatic Feeders for Lubricating Materials, dac., of which the following is a specification.

This invention is especially intended for supplying lubricating material to the cylinders of vertical condensing engines, lout it is also available for supplying lubricating material to cylinders of other characters of steam engines, and for supplying petroleum or other material with the feed water injected into a boiler.

In this feeder the lubricating or other m a terial is contained in a vessel and there is an outlet from the same provided with a valve closing toward the holding vessel and the feed 4 pipe passes away at a higher elevation than the level of the liquid in the containing vessel. Hence the feed of the liquid is by a minus pressureV such yas the vacuum action in the steam cylinder or from the suction action in a pump, the outlet valve from t-he vessel opening by such suction action to allow the liquid to be drawn out ot' the vessel, but the valve closes against the pressure in the cylinder, boiler or other device to which the liquid is conveyed. Hence the holding vessel is not subjected to the steam boiler or other pressure and it can be iilled with the lubricating or other material at any time and there is no waste of such'liquid when the engine or pump is out of action, and a regulating valve is employed to determine the speed of the delivery of the lubricating or other liquid from the holding vessel.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section illustrating our improvement in the form adapted to the cylinder of a condensing-engine, and Fig. 2 is a detached view illustrating a modification of the device.

The receiving vessel A is of any desired size or shape. Preferably it is of metal and provided wit-h a sight glass B by which the height of liquid in the receiving vessel can be ascertained by inspection. This sight glass is of any desired character, and we ind it advantageous to provide a removable cover C and a hanging basket D of finely perforated material to act as a screen or filter for detaining any foreign substances in the petroleum, oil or other lubricating material poured into the receiving vessel A from time to time.

The outlet pipe E is provided with a check valve F closing toward the receiving vessel A and opening in the direction of the discharge of the material from such receiving vessel, and in this outlet pipe E there is a regulating valve G for determining the iow of liquid passing away from the receiving vessel. The outlet pipe, the check valve and the regulating valve are to be of any desired character. We, however, prefer'to introduce the check valve in a suitable casting forming the outlet pipe, there being a removable cover to give access to the check valve, and the regulating valve G is advantageously made as a screw with a conical point, the stem of the screw passing through a packing gland 3 to render the parts tight.

In almost all instances it is advantageous for the engineer or attendant to be able to ascertain by sight that the feeding device is in operation, and with this object in View we make use of a glass tube H which is advantageously filled with water and there are packing glands 4. and 5 for holding this tube H in position and the globule of oil as it rises is advantageously guided by the vconical nozzle 6, and where desired'there may be a vessel K of glass or other material above the tube H for holding water or other liquid with which the contents of the vessel A will not commingle. Hence as the globule of oil or similar liquid rises from the nozzle 6-it is noticeable through the glass tube H and the size of this globule can be regulated by the valve G.

The upper end ot the vessel K is connected by any suitable pipe into the top of a steam engine in a vertical condensing engine or to the inlet side of a pump or injector; or the pipe may pass from the tube H or vessel K in any desired direction to any place where the contents of the vessel A are to be delivered progressively or drop by drop by a suction action.

Whenever there is a minus pressure in the tube H resulting ifrom the condensation of steam in the steam cylinder or otherwise, the check valve F raises suiciently to allow the IOO v 2 l l 538,471

lubricating or other liquid to pass the same from the receiving vessel A and then such check valve closes for preventing the steam or other pressure reaching the vessel A, and the liquid which passes thus gradually and progressively from the vessel A through the check Valve F is delivered in a similar gradual manner to the steam cylinder or other desired place, and the quantity is regulated by the valve G and when the sight tube H is em` ployed the engineer or attendant is enabled to see the globules of liquid passing progressively from the vessel A to the desired destination.

In Fig. 2 we have represented the check valve F as immediately adjacent to the basket or nozzle 6 the same closing downwardly and performing the same duty as the check valve F in Fig. 1.

It will be apparent that the vessel K above the sight tube H is a convenient reservoir for holding water so that the supply to the sight tube is maintained and only requires to be replenished occasionally;

We do not claim a feeding apparatus in which there is a check valve and a regulating valve, as these have been used in feeding devices where the reservoir has been above the point of discharge so as to feed by gravity.

By ourimprovement the sight glass becomes part of the upward feed tube and the lubrieating or other material being below the point of delivery, there is no Waste by'gravity when the engine is not in action, and the parts being constructed with the valve at the lower for the discharge of such liquid upwardly q through the sight glass by a suction action, and a connection between the lower end of the glass and the lower end of the vessel, a regulating valve below the sight glass, and a check valve to prevent pressure reaching the liquid holding vessel, substantially as specified. 2. The combination with the vessel for holding the oil or other liquid and open to the atmosphere, and the adjacent sight glass, of a connection to the upper end of the sight glass for the discharge of such liquid upwardly through the sight glass by a suction action, and a connection between the lower end of the glass and the lower end of the vessel, a regnlating valve in line with and below the sight glass, and a check valve to prevent pressure reaching the liquid holding vessel, such check valve being above and in line with the regulating valve and closing downwardly, substantially as specified.

Signed by us this 18th day of October, 1894.

BENJAMIN WATERS. GEORGE H. WATERS.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, WILLIAM G. Morr. 

